Blind Beauty
by Asianshortcake
Summary: After a horrible accident, Belle becomes blind. In a desperate attempt to see again, she goes to see Rumplestiltskin, and makes a deal with him to stay in his castle while he formulates a potion to cure her blindness. What she doesn't expect, however, was to fall in love with man that she can't even see. (RumBelle, Very AU) Chapter 5 up! Robin Hood makes an appearance!
1. Chapter 1 - Misguided Affections

_**Hey everyone(:**_

_**So this is my first RumBelle fanfic and I'm really excited about it! Tbh I just finished OUAT not too long ago I came up with this idea after I finished season 2 (The feels were exploding everywhere I was dying)!**_

_**Please don't be too harsh. This is my first fanfic EVER. :') thanks!**_

_**Summary**__**: After a horrible accident, Belle becomes blind. In a desperate attempt to see again, she goes to see Rumplestiltskin, and makes a deal with him to stay in his castle while he formulates a potion to cure her blindness. What she doesn't expect, however, was to fall in love with someone she can't even see. **_

**DISCLAIMER: **I do NOT own Once Upon a Time or any of their characters. This story idea, however, is my own :)

**Chapter 1 – Misguided Affections**

"No Papa, I refuse to marry _Gaston_!"

"Why Belle? He's perfect! I've met him, talked to him, and fully trust him to rule Avonlea alongside you with the upmost diligence and pride."

Belle tried her best to hide her disgusted expression. "Are you kidding me Papa?! Gaston's putting up a front to try to impress you. When you're away, his arrogance bubbles out of him! Papa, he's suggested that I _stop_ reading my books because he wants me to be a 'pretty little wife.' You know how much I _love_ books! I don't need a man to tell me what to do." She looked at her Papa with a pout, and Maurice couldn't help but laugh.

"You know, I wasn't trying to be funny." Belle scowled, eying her Papa warily, "You _know_ I don't pass ill-judgments on many people. I always try to see the good in every person I meet. With Gaston, however, finding it is very difficult. I still haven't found any admirable qualities yet."

Maurice just smiled and shook his head. "Just give him a chance, please. For me, Belle. See him tomorrow, per his request, and don't be too glum about it. You've only met him twice, and at formal functions, where you can slip away quite easily." Belle's lips curved up into a smirk before she could stop herself.

"This is your chance to really get to know him," the king continued, "after tomorrow, I promise I won't bother you about him anymore. I know I said I would let you marry someone you _truly_ love, but you're almost 23! Many princesses your age have been wed already: take Snow for example."

"But," Belle cut in, "she's _truly_ in love with Prince Charming! That's _not_ the same thing."

Maurice sighed. He obviously wasn't going to win this argument. "Belle, please, just go with him tomorrow. He just wants to get to know you better."

Belle sighed in frustration. She had first met Gaston at her Birthday Gala, in which he approached her, and afterwards, continually followed her, and deemed, without her saying so, that they were in love with each other. She's rejected him politely without being overly rude on several occasions, but he was _blind_ towards her obvious refusals_._ And he doesn't even compliment her personality. Gaston always gushed about how beautiful she was, or how lovely her eyes were in the sunlight, but never about her intellect, or for who she truly _is._ He would always make comments about something that should be changed about her, not about what should be kept.

But, for her father, Belle would see Gaston once more. Belle loved her Papa very much, and this favor wasn't _too_ much to ask for. Anyway, one day with him wouldn't hurt, right?

...

When Belle arrived back in her room, a letter was waiting for her, with her name written elegantly on the front. Her initial excitement for the letter dissipated when she saw who it was from.

_Gaston_.

She fought the urge right then and there to burn the letter. Her rational judgment, however, overruled her rash thoughts, and she opened the letter despite her reluctance to do so.

_My dearest Belle, _

_Meet me tomorrow under the large Magnolia tree that's not too far from your castle. _

_It will be a sunny day tomorrow, and I thought it would be nice to have a picnic. _

_See you then. _

_Love always, _

_Gaston_

Belle couldn't help but smile a _little_. Despite being so long ago, Gaston had remembered what she had said on the first day she met him; she said she loves reading under the large Magnolia tree, especially on a warm sunny day.

Even so, she still found herself dreading the "date" she was to have the following day.

_I don't think it'll be _that _bad, _she chided to herself. _You're just dreading it because you don't know him well enough yet. Papa's right, I've never given myself a chance to get to know him. _

If anything, Belle just wanted to be friends, not lovers. The only reason, she figured, that she disliked Gaston so was because he and her father were pressuring her to be more than just friends.

_I just hope_, Belle thought, _that Gaston will be accepting of that concept_.

But Belle knew better. Her instinct told her that he _wouldn't_ be pleased with being "just friends."

She shivered. With all the negative thoughts swirling in her head, she was beginning to feel nervous and uneasy. She opted to walking to one of her favorite spots in the castle, which was a small garden within the confines of the castle walls, and climbed onto sturdy tree to read her current book, in order to whisk herself away from her troubled reality.

...

After Belle left in a huff, Maurice couldn't help looking at the baby pictures of his beloved Belle. She had grown up so fast, in his eyes. It seemed only yesterday that she was just learning how to walk; that she said her first word, which was "Daddy," or read her very _first_ book all by herself, which was _Beauty and the Beast_.

He couldn't help but laugh at that memory. Cyrene warmly encouraged Belle to keep reading after that, and they would read fairytales together as a family as a result. They had never thought that introducing their beloved Belle to books would turn her into a partial recluse, but as many quirks as his daughter had, he still loved her any way, and wouldn't change her for the world.

Maurice saddened a little as he thought of his late wife, Queen Cyrene. She was a lovely mother; her world revolved around Belle, and she was very adamant that she received little help from the servants while Belle was an infant. From the diaper changing, to the caring of Belle in the middle of the night, it was Cyrene who took care of her. Everything changed when a terrible sickness plagued the Queen when Belle was only 4 years old. He missed her so much, and her last words forever ring in his mind.

_"Promise me that Belle will always be smiling, and happy, like she is now."_

Tears threatened to spill out of his eyes. His wife was so dear to him, even after death, which is why he refused to marry again. Belle even said herself she'd understand if he were to take a new wife, but Maurice refused to love another woman in the same way. He wanted, naively, to keep her "alive" by refusing to love another woman. And to put Belle's happiness over his own.

Part of him wanted to keep Belle all to himself-to be his little girl forever. But, he wanted to marry her to a man who could make her happy, and ensure the success of the kingdom.

_My dear Cyrene, _he thought, _I sincerely hope Gaston will be the key to all of Belle's happiness. Even if I have to suffer in this castle alone._

...

After sending the letter, Gaston inwardly cursed. He realized he forgot to include _one_ important thing in his letter: to tell Belle _not_ to bring a book to the picnic. He silently hoped that she would have enough manners to do so, but past history wasn't looking too bright for him.

_Books poison Belle's mind, _he thought bitterly, _it prevents her from being a proper woman._

It infuriated him to no end that every time she was _anywhere_ around him, she would either avoid him, or use a book as a "way out." During the rare event that he _did _see her, she'd be by his side, only because he would come up to her. Her presence beside him would only last for a moment, however, because a split second later, he would see her run "sneakily" towards a dark hallway with a book in tow.

_She has a thing for me, I know it, _Gaston thought arrogantly, _it's just she doesn't know how to approach me. I mean, who doesn't like _me? _The famous Gaston! It's probably because Belle's shy that she avoids me at parties. It's easy to do that with a lot of people in the room. _

If Belle was another woman, he would definitely have gone after her, followed her to anywhere she went. But this was _Belle._ To Gaston, she was delicate, like a porcelain doll. She was someone who _should_ be complemented endlessly, and should be treated like a princess at all times. She was definitely _not_ someone who can handle the "real" stresses of the world, nor be able to read about them.

He smiled inwardly to himself. She was unlike any other woman he'd met. Most women would literally _throw_ themselves at his feet, begging him to take her.

But Belle? She didn't seem interested at all. In fact, she rejected his obvious advances.

He licked his lips hungrily. _She's a challenge_.

If there's one thing Gaston loves, it's challenges. From hunting the largest bear in the forest, to lifting the heaviest object in his kingdom, he's been constantly challenged his entire life. But, the challenges within his own kingdom were easily attainable. _Belle_, however, was the most difficult challenge that he's ever had to conquer.

And he was going to do _anything_ to get her.

**_a/n – Not gonna lie, I modeled Gaston heavily on Disney's version ^^; but I think I fleshed him out enough to the point where we understand his motives. In Disney's version, his obvious reason for wanting her was because she was beautiful, la da da. But they never really explain how the two met—it kinda just happened in the movie, you know? _**

**_Please rate and review! I'll really appreciate it :)_**


	2. Chapter 2 - Blindsided

_**Hi everyone(:**_

_**Thank you SO much for those who reviewed. I was honestly kind of hesitant to post this story at first ^^; kinda self-conscious. The reviews I got encouraged me, though, so thank you (:**_

_****For those who have already read my story, check back on chapter 1; I added some back story to Belle and Maurice. It enriches the story a bit so it's suggested rereading (:****_

_**ANYWAY, all the happy stuff will kinda go spiraling downwards by the end. Just to let you know~**_

**Summary****: After a horrible accident, Belle becomes blind. In a desperate attempt to see again, she goes to see Rumplestiltskin, and makes a deal with him to stay in his castle while he formulates a potion to cure her blindness. What she doesn't expect, however, was to fall in love with someone she can't even see. **

**DISCLAIMER: **I do NOT own Once Upon a Time or any of their characters. This story idea, however, is my own :)

**Chapter 2 - Blindsided**

Belle always enjoyed mornings. She awoke very early every day, relishing the way the morning sun seemed to kiss the landscape and envelop the world in her warm rays.

She smiled serenely while taking in the scene, and she suddenly felt the urge to read her latest book. She began to read it, when she remembered that she needed to make some food for her picnic with Gaston!

_Silly me,_ she scolded herself, _how could I forget?_

Because she had to cook, Belle started to somewhat look forward to the picnic. Her favorite pastime, besides reading of course, was cooking, which would help ease her nerves for her "date." She'd might as well make the best of it, right?

She loved to cook anything and everything-from tasty dishes of beef and chicken, to scrumptious desserts, Belle's exquisite cooking captured the hearts and stomachs of all who ate it.

Of course, a master chef _needs_ an excellent assistant.

As Belle entered the kitchen, she noticed her personal maidservant tiding up the room. "Good morning, Anna," Belle said pleasantly as she strolled towards her.

Anna looked a little startled. "Good morning milady!" She recovered from her initial shock and smiled brightly at the princess.

Belle made a face. "Anna! Please call me Belle. How many times have I told you that?" Belle furrowed her brow. "I consider you as a friend, not a servant. You've helped me with so many dishes that I've made, and have taught me so much in the short time that I've gotten known you." Belle smiled warmly at Anna, who smiled meekly in return.

Anna couldn't help but smile. Just 6 months ago, she was on the street, begging for food, and barely surviving on what she had. One day, she had collapsed from fatigue and hunger, and woke up to find herself in the bed of the _princess. _

_Anna awoke in a slight stupor, and half-spoke, half slurred, "Wha-what am I doing here?"_

_Belle walked in then, with a tray full of hot food in her hands, and smiled warmly at Anna. _

"_P-Princess Belle!" Anna exclaimed, immediately straightening up. "It is an honor to meet you! My name is Anna."_

_Belle smiled warmly at Anna. "It is an honor meeting you too, Anna." Belle set the tray down on the bedside table, inviting her to eat. Belle paused for moment until Anna began to eat. "I was walking back from buying my books you see, and I saw you on the street! People were stepping over you, but no one bothered to pick you up." Belle sighed exasperatedly. "I swear, people these days…anyway, I immediately sent for my men to bring you here, to help you recover."_

_Anna felt touched. She had never been treated as such before._

"_H-How can I ever repay you, Princess Belle?"_

_Belle just shook her head. "There's no need to do that. Just get better soon."_

_But Anna was adamant._

"_No princess, there's something I can do. Please, I _want _to do something to repay you."_

_Belle mused on this thought for a moment, and a smile slowly found a way onto her face. "Well, I've been needing an assistant for when I cook…"_

And the rest is history.

Anna jerked back from her reverie. "Thank you Prin-I mean, Belle," she corrected. "I'm assuming you're here to make something for the picnic this afternoon?"

Belle rolled her eyes and Anna laughed merrily. "Believe me," Belle said, "If I had a choice, I'd much rather be reading right now. But I promised Papa I wouldn't be sour."

"You're a good princess, Belle," Anna said, finally saying the princess's first name in an exchange between them. "You'll make a wonderful queen someday."

Belle beamed at that comment. She then scurried around to gather all the ingredients that she wanted together, and said, "Anna, we've got a picnic to make."

…

Gaston checked himself in the mirror, _again_, for the umpteenth time. He wanted to make sure he looked _perfect_ for the picnic today. He had to make an impression. He had to _wow_ her. She had no other distractions now.

Just him, and his _darling_ Belle.

Gaston was so absorbed, that he barely noticed Le Fou rushing into his quarters. His "helpful" assistant, the bumbling fool that he is, almost knocked down the mirror that Gaston was still looking into.

Gaston raised his eyebrow. "And why are _you_ in such a hurry? It's not like _you_ have anywhere to be."

Le Fou gave him an incredulous look. "But _you_ do, my lord. Avonlea is 2 hours away by carriage. If we don't leave right now, you'll be late."

In order to vent his frustrations, he pushed Le Fou roughly to out the door and urged him to keep up with him as he ran towards his carriage. His wonderful "impression" would be tarnished if he, _the _Gaston, was late to such a simplistic affair.

…

Meanwhile, 2 hours away in Avonlea, Belle didn't even bother to dress extravagantly for the occasion. Instead, she opted for her favorite dress, which was her mother's. It was mostly blue, and the sleeves puffed up nicely on the sides—very simplistic for someone of her status. It looked more like "commoner's clothing," but Belle loved it anyway. She remembered how absolutely _thrilled_ she was when she could actually fit in her mother's dress, and ever since, she has worn it as often as she could.

Her father, however, would always avert his gaze whenever she wore it. _It probably hurts him too much, _Belle thought sadly.

A soft knocking at her door sent her thoughts away. "Come in."

Anna came in then, with one of her hands holding a large blue ribbon.

"I…I made this for you Belle. I know you aren't too fond of Gaston, but you might as well look nice. After all, he'll see you in your most beautiful state and cry later when you _flatly_ reject him." Anna winked at Belle, and giggled.

Belle started laughing too. "My, my Anna, so cruel." Belle grinned widely. "But really, I appreciate the bow, thank you so much!" She gave Anna a huge hug.

Anna smiled. "Would you like me to braid your hair?"

Belle laughed once again. "Good luck! My hair is a wavy mess."

"Challenge accepted," Anna said with a smile. She immediately started to get to work, and put in the blue bow as a finishing touch.

…

Carrying two unwieldy baskets, Belle stumbled over to the agreed meeting spot. Despite Anna's protests, she insisted that she carry the food, while Anna carried the blanket.

When Belle and Anna arrived, the magnolia tree was in full bloom, with its sweet smell filling the air. Its pink petals were spread along the ground, illuminated by the sun's rays, creating a beautiful and peaceful atmosphere.

Belle beamed at the scene. "And this is why," she half-grunted, half-spoke, as she put down her baskets with a heavy _thump_, "I love this place so much."

Anna grinned in response as she rolled out the blanket underneath a nice shady area.

"Would you like me to wait here with you, Belle?" Anna asked as she was smoothing out the wrinkles in the blanket, "Gaston isn't here yet."

In answer to her question, from one of her baskets, Belle pulled out a small book. "No need Anna, thank you," Belle said. "I don't want to keep you. And the book I'm reading right now is _so_ intriguing!" All of a sudden, Belle started to giggle. "I had a feeling he would be late, so I brought a book just in case I had to wait. At least I have a chance to read now!"

Anna snorted. Gaston's arrogance had no bounds. But fortunately for Belle, this was her opportunity to read, since she hadn't had a chance to read _all_ day. She spent the entire morning making preparations for the picnic.

For a man she didn't even want to _see_, she was very dedicated to making the day as enjoyable as possible.

"Good luck," Anna said, squeezing Belle's shoulder, "I hope you at least enjoy some of the 'date' today."

Belle sighed and looked up from her book. "I hope I do too."

…

Gaston was _fuming_.

How could _this _happen?

A small _stone_ caused _this _to happen?

Gaston wanted to shriek.

One of his carriage wheels accidentally hit a small stone on the dirt road, causing it to crack along the middle, deeming it unsafe and impractical to use.

Of _course_ this would happen.

His poor driver/assistant was frantic as he tried his best to assess and repair the damage. He _knew_ how angry and volatile Prince Gaston could become. He struggled to keep his cool, but to no avail.

"Le Fou," Gaston said, anger laced in his voice.

Le Fou's eyes widened. "Y-yes my lord?"

Gaston walked over to the horse that was pulling the carriage, and unhooked one of the harnesses that was attached to the carriage.

"I'm already late as it is. I'm leaving _now_."

Le Fou's throat suddenly became very dry. "B-b-but my lord, how can I get back? How can I transport the carriage once it's fixed?"

They were in a path that was in the middle of a heavily forested area, and Gaston didn't plan to leave Avonlea until nightfall.

"You can either wait here for me, or figure it out on your own," Gaston sneered, as he rode away.

Le Fou's fingernails dug into his palms, until his knuckles turned white. Gaston was too arrogant for his own good. Le Fou was a fool, indeed he was, but even fools have their limits. From being the prince's personal punching bag, to putting up with verbal abuses, he was always faithful to Gaston. But leaving him in the middle of the forest, without probable cause, was too much. For far too long, he had endured his master's _bullshit, _and put up with it happily. Le Fou vowed, at that moment, he was going to find a way to make Prince Gaston _pay_ for everything he's ever done to him.

…

Gaston arrived at the site, disheveled and still slightly irritable, being only 30 minutes late.

He tried to compose himself quickly in his small hand mirror before walking towards Belle, and began walking with a smile, which immediately turned into a frown when he saw a book in her hands.

_I _knew _I should have said not to bring a damn book_.

Belle was so absorbed that she didn't even notice his heavy laden footsteps heading towards her, and he made a big scene of it too, trying to stomp loudly to see if he could get her attention.

It didn't work.

Gaston scowled. _When we marry, I _promise_, there will be _no _books within a 50 mile radius of you, my Belle._

Rather than standing awkwardly next to her and waiting for her to notice him, he grabbed the book out her hands and threw it unceremoniously into a muddy patch of grass.

"_Gaston,_" Belle said sharply, trying her very best to withhold the full extent of her irritation, "Can I have my book, _please?_"

Gaston was taken slightly aback. He had never been spoken to like that by a woman.

But for some reason, he liked it.

_She's feisty._

Because Gaston didn't immediately respond to her question, Belle began to get up and try to retrieve the book.

He immediately intercepted her.

"No, you can't avoid me today, my _dear _Belle." Gaston said, his voice dripping with sickly sweetness. "This is our chance to get to know one another."

Belle shuddered involuntary, and looked down at his hands. She couldn't help but note that he came empty-handed, although the picnic was _his_ idea.

"So, Gaston," Belle began, trying to change the subject, "Where's the food that you've promised to bring?"

Gaston looked confused. "I never promised that _I _would bring in food!"

"Pardon me for saying so, but this _is_ a picnic, and usually each person in attendance brings food," Belle stated dryly, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "And the picnic was _your_ idea, not mine."

Gaston smirked. "Actually, I was hoping _you _would make some delicious food—and look," he said, as he sat on the blanket helped himself to a bowl of stew, "you did! Thank you so much. It's delicious! You have all the makings of a _wonderful_ wife." _My wife, _Gaston added mentally.

_He hasn't mastered the art of subtlety, has he?_ Belle almost laughed out loud at her musings.

She plastered a smile on her face. "Why t-thank you, Gaston," she replied through gritted teeth.

Gaston beamed. He misinterpreted her politeness as interest towards him, and slowly—and no, not very subtly— moved closer to her.

Belle, in response, inched away slowly with finesse.

While being too close for Belle's comfort, he proceeded to talk about his feats—about how he won the contest for the largest deer hunt, won the contest for eating the most chicken…he kept babbling on and on about himself, never bothering to ask Belle about herself, or her interests.

Gaston, being overly self-absorbed, failed to notice her disinterest. Instead, he kept babbling on and on.

"…and I made sure to beat the hell out of that son of a bitch, because I wanted to win!"

He would look at her, occasionally, to gauge how impressed she was. She would, every time, plaster a false smile on her beautiful features.

But Belle sensed something was wrong.

Very, _very_ wrong.

Every time she smiled, although forced on her end, there would be an ominous glitter in his eyes.

He almost looked at her as if she were a desirable object. Like one of his damn _trophies._

Belle suddenly felt very uncomfortable. Every fiber in her gut told her to leave.

And that was what she was going to do.

"…My father was so proud, and as was I, for that bear was the largest in the forest—"

"Gaston," Belle interrupted, "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude, but I'm not feeling well, so I have to go—"

Gaston, although arrogant and sometimes thickheaded, could immediately see through her lie, for Belle was never good at being dishonest.

Belle turned to leave, when Gaston grabbed her roughly by her wrist.

"Please stop, you're hurting me."

In response, he tightened his grip.

Her eyes widened as he practically dragged her onto the magnolia tree, and took both her wrists in one of his burly hands, pinning her between the trunk of the tree and his built frame.

"_Belle,_ my _dear_ sweet _Belle_," He said, his lust taking control of his mind, "Why, _why_ don't you love me? I can give you _anything_ you want. Say the word, and I'll give it to you."

Belle spat in his face. "I want you to _leave_ _me alone_. That's what I want."

Gaston caressed her face with his free hand, and drew his face closer to hers. "That, my dear, I cannot do."

Seeing her vulnerable and helpless as she was, Gaston couldn't hold back his desire for her any longer. He attempted to kiss her, but instead his groin made contact with the surprisingly powerful force of Belle's knee, which sent him twitching on the ground.

Seeing her opportunity, Belle ran as fast as her legs could take her towards the castle.

Her thoughts of escaping quickly dissipated when her right ankle was suddenly grabbed by Gaston's hand.

It happened so quickly.

Belle, being taken by surprise, lost her balance, and fell face first into a jagged rock.

And the world as she knew it became jet black.

_**A/n – CLIFFHANGER. And NO. She didn't get raped. I promise. I wouldn't let that happen to her. **_

_**But yes, to answer everyone's questions, now you know how she became blind ): It's a shame, because Maurice had no idea that this would be the outcome of her date.**_

_**And about Le Fou—I wanted to make him different. In Disney's version, the poor guy was always beat up, and always looked down upon by Gaston, although he was Gaston's only true friend; and yet, he always stayed by his side. I wanted to give Le Fou more of a chance to retaliate, because no one deserves to be treated like that.**_

_**Plus, it's another question for you guys to wonder about…how **_**will **_**he make Gaston pay?**_

_**Well you'll find out soon enough (; **_

_**Please review! I'll really appreciate it :)**_


	3. Chapter 3 - Seeing With New Eyes

_**Hey again! :3**_

_**Sorry it took me awhile to write ): I'm about to go to college in…less than a month, so there's been lots of preparing/family angst going on ^^; But I PROMISE, this chapter is LONG. And full of drama! (and yes, Gaston is still an asshole, nothing new)**_

_**I would like to say a HUGE **__**thank you**__** to EVERYONE who has reviewed and followed/favorited my story! 30 followers for **__**two**__** chapters? Not bad for a first-time fic, in my opinion, so I'm pretty excited c: thanks again guys!**_

_**Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter! I'm not gonna lie, I had to do some research (which also explains why it took me awhile to actually write oops ^^;) because idk exactly how newly-blinded people adapt to their situation (and unfortunately, there weren't too many sites to help me ugh). So I apologize if it isn't extremely accurate, but I guess I can argue that this IS a "magical world," so… :P**_

**Summary****: After a horrible accident, Belle becomes blind. In a desperate attempt to see again, she goes to see Rumplestiltskin, and makes a deal with him to stay in his castle while he formulates a potion to cure her blindness. What she doesn't expect, however, was to fall in love with someone she can't even see. **

**DISCLAIMER: **I do NOT own Once Upon a Time or any of their characters. This story idea, and any of my OC's, however, are my own :)

**Chapter 3 – Seeing With New Eyes**

Belle opened her eyes, only to see nothing.

Nothing at all.

She rubbed her eyes, and still, saw nothing.

Belle became frightened, and accidentally rolled off her bed, which caused a rather loud _thump_ to reverberate in the room.

A few moments later, King Maurice and Anna came running into her room in a panic.

"Belle, thank God, you're awake! Are you okay?" Maurice asked, his voice deeply concerned.

She propped herself up, and with Anna's assistance, was guided back to bed. "I'm fine, but why can't I see?!" Belle exclaimed, her voice panicked, "This is only temporary, right?!"

Maurice's features became immediately saddened. A few days before, a healer had spent several hours trying to rebuild Belle's damaged face, and restore her eyes to the way they were. Unfortunately, with his limited amount of magic, he could only somewhat fix her eyes, but not fully repair them. He could get her eyes to be whole, on the outside, but the inside circuitry was too far gone to try and repair.

_Oh, my poor girl._

He drew in a deep breath. "Belle...do you remember what happened before you blacked out?"

She pondered for a moment.

_The picnic…boring conversations… _**Gaston**.

Belle' s eyes widened as her mind started to reel, and she momentarily forgot about her inability to see. She shrieked before she could stop herself, shaking violently as the tears started welling in her eyes. "Before I blacked out, I-I…Gaston…h-he was t-rying to…" she trailed off, struggling to talk through her sobs. She then took a deep breath. "Did he-please tell me that he didn't..."

"No, he didn't," Maurice said, not letting his daughter finish her sentence. "You have to thank Anna for that." He looked towards the quiet red-headed servant girl, and smiled warmly at her. She, in turn, smiled back weakly.

Belle's sobs became quieter, but her curiosity peaked. "…W-what happened?"

Anna's face darkened as she told Belle of the events that unfolded before her unconsciousness.

0o0o0o

_It was approaching sunset, and the sky was a beautiful hue of pinks, blues, and purples._

_A beautiful sky for such a tragic event._

_Anna had been in the kitchen, about to clean the dishes for the day, when she realized Belle had used some dishes during the picnic. _

I might as well collect the dishes from their picnic, and maybe save her some time with that arrogant asshole_, Anna thought to herself._

_With a large ornately decorated porcelain tray to carry the dishes, Anna walked towards the large magnolia tree._

_As she was walking from a distance, she saw Belle fall headfirst onto a rock._

_It was quite the injury—blood trailed from both her eye sockets, and her forehead had a deep gash that was very close to her right eyebrow._

_Gaston, his rationale completely _gone_, dragged the princess back towards the tree whilst voicing his carnal desires for her, which made Anna's blood boil. _

_Unbeknownst to Gaston, who was about to ravish the poor unconscious girl, was completely taken by surprise. Like a mouse, Anna snuck behind him silently, and hit Gaston's head with the tray, which elicited a sickening crack from his skull. Blood gushed from Gaston's head, and the once beautiful tray lay in pieces on the grass._

"_You bastard!" Anna snarled, glaring down at Gaston. For good measure, kicked Gaston in the gut. Hard. _Good, he's out cold. _Satisfied, Anna focused her attention on the princess. _

_Belle, the poor girl, lay slumped against the tree, still unconscious._

_Quickly summoning the guards, Belle was promptly taken to her room, while Gaston was left to rot in a prison cell._

0o0o0o

Belle looked shaken. "Thank you Anna...for everything." She blindly searched for Anna's hand, and when she found it, squeezed it in thanks.

Anna smiled only briefly, because when she saw Maurice's forlorn look, she didn't have the heart to smile anymore.

_He feels like it was his fault._

Maurice grabbed the shaking hands of his daughter, and said, "Belle, I am so sorry. I-If I had l-listened to you…if I had kept you away from that _bastard, _you wouldn't be like this…"

Belle smiled woefully. It wasn't her father's fault. He was trying to help her find her true love—he couldn't be blamed for this. This was out of his control.

"Papa," Belle said reassuringly, "this wasn't your fault. If anything, it was mine. I should have sensed his malicious intentions sooner." She took a deep breath, and tried to muster the biggest smile she could. "You know, we should try to fix my vision! This _can _be fixed….right?"

Maurice looked into Belle's eyes. Her eyes, once a vibrant blue, was now faded and slightly grey, having a glassy look to them. She gazed in Maurice's direction, somewhat, without having direct eye contact. She was _blissfully_ unaware, just like she was about most things, and he began to cry.

Belle knew, without the usage of words, that this was _permanent_.

She took a deep breath, and tried to keep her emotions in check. She could tell, without actually seeing, that her father was in so much pain, and she felt, almost _saw_ the anger radiating from him. To her, his anger was a dark crimson red, radiating from where he sat, and it scared her immensely.

"Promise me," Belle said, gently grabbing her father's withered hand, "that you'll not hurt Gaston. As much as I hate the man, he doesn't deserve to suffer a fate worse than imprisonment. I can see that you're angry, but I don't want you to kill a man for my sake."

Maurice looked terribly conflicted. His eyes were almost windows into his soul; Belle could _almost_ see the internal battle that was raging in his head.

Eventually, he relented. He took her hand, and quietly whispered, "I promise."

….

For days, the king lamented alone in his room.

_It was all my fault, I should have listened to her. If she hadn't gone with him, she would've been okay…_

He felt like he had failed. He placed all his faith in the wrong man, and that same man he thought would be _perfect_ for his Belle ended up being her worst nightmare.

_I failed you, Cyrene, I'm sorry._

He then clenched his fists angrily, banging them angrily on his desk.

_That _fucking_**asshole**__, _he thought, his anger rising rapidly. _I can't believe I ever thought he was good enough for Belle. When I get my hands on that fucking son of a bitch…._

In reality, all the king wanted was for his daughter to be happy; he had hoped that she would fall in love with Gaston on her own. He thought that Gaston would be her best option for love—and financial stability.

_Avonlea won't last long with the way things are going._

He had promised her years ago that she would be allowed to marry based on true love alone, but the financial needs for the Ogre War changed that. Finances were tight, and in order to guarantee the longevity of Avonlea she had to marry Gaston, which would unite the bordering kingdoms.

He sheltered Belle too much, that was certain. She was blissfully unaware of these problems.

_I was being selfish. She deserved to know the truth. It was foolish of me to act as if nothing was wrong._

But the king, also, was being naïve. He wanted to preserve her desire to find true love, because it was endearing to him. He knew if he had told her of the kingdom's problems, she would be willing to marry Gaston, even if it led to her misery, for the sake of her people. She was selfless, that girl, and that was what Maurice loved about his little Belle.

He thought of enlisting financial and medical help from The Dark One, but he had heard too many ghastly stories about him to even _think_ about that possibility. And so he opted not to ask. _I'll find a way, without using magical means._

Maurice snapped out of his thoughts. He had to get back to reality. There was a pressing concern, in some ways _more_ worrisome than Belle's condition. Gaston was currently in the dungeons underneath Avonlea's castle, and soon, the news would certainly spread to his kingdom. Once Gaston's father found out, all _hell_ would break loose. Thankfully though, no passersby saw Gaston get arrested; the picnic had taken place in a remote part of the castle, and only a small amount of guards transported him into the prison. He could write to Gaston's father, lie—say that Gaston is happily spending time with Belle. But he would become suspicious when he would hear nothing back from Gaston…but at least that would buy Maurice some time.

Gaston's father, in more ways than one, was even more arrogant than his son. He believed he could do no wrong, and he believed his son was always in the _right_ when dealing with other people. Although Maurice had never been in conflict with the Kingdom of Aryien before, he had heard that King William was ruthless when crossed. And he could definitely believe that—he hated diplomatic dealings with William. His coarseness and his haughty attitude set his teeth on edge.

_And now we have the beast's son._

He then thought of the "mighty" _Prince_ Gaston in his jail cell, unruly with a dejected look on his face, languishing in regret of his foolish actions—which prompted the king to visit him.

The reality, however, couldn't have been more different. He was unruly, that much was true, but his attitude was cavalier, and he showed no remorse.

"Why hello, King Maurice," Gaston said. When the King approached his cell, he rose from the bed and went as close to the bars as he could go whilst chained. His arrogant attitude presented itself, despite his current circumstances, and that angered Maurice immensely.

"What are you here for? To make me _apologize_? If you must know, I don't regret my actions. I would gladly try again. You know, she's beautiful, and I can't even imagine how much more _beautiful_ she'd be if she were _underneath_ me—"

His composure completely out the window, Maurice moved towards the bars to try and strangle the arrogant son of a bitch, but Gaston retracted back into the confines of his cell in order to further aggravate the old man.

"You _bastard," _Maurice hissed. "Your foolish actions have caused her to become _blind_. Understand this: _If_, and only _if_ I am to release you," Maurice said threateningly, his hands tightening around the rusting iron bars, "you are _not_ to step within one foot of Avonlea without promptly being executed."

Gaston sneered, his eyes glittering with malice. "So you're violating our truce? You'll be alone in this war." Gaston laughed darkly. "And, you know, if my father's army comes to rescue me, your kingdom will be _crushed_."

Maurice said nothing, because he knew Gaston was right. But he could _never_ make amends with a man who tried to harm Belle.

Knowing he couldn't reason with Gaston, the king began to walk away, before his anger got the better of him. Gaston, however, had the audacity to speak up.

"She's blind now…huh," Gaston mused sardonically. "You know, that's actually a good thing. At least she can't get distracted by her damn _books_ anymore. She can focus _all _of her attention on me now. In a way, she's better as a _blind_, beautiful woman."

Maurice turned around suddenly, shooting daggers at Gaston.

_I wish I never made that promise to Belle._

"You're _lucky _that I promised Belle that I'd spare your worthless _fucking_ life. That statement _alone _would normally get you _killed." _Maurice spat, his anger taking control of him. "You have some _goddamn nerve_ to think I'd ever let you see, much less _talk_ to Belle ever again."

With that final note, Maurice left the dungeons, and slammed the door shut.

….

Belle, being as selfless as she was, tried to stay strong for her father. She put up a front-she stayed as happy as she could while she was around him. Within the confines of her room, however, her walls came crashing down. She would sometimes be dead silent, and stare blankly at the world that she could no longer view. Her mind would be engulfed in her visual past, as she recollected every ounce of visual memory she had left, whether it was something complex, like the beautiful mountainous view from the throne room, or something simple, like the elegant text from her favorite book. Her memories were like double edged swords-they were sweet, because she remembered them fondly, but also hurtful, because they reminded her that she could not relive those memories ever again.

Sometimes, Anna would read a story or two to Belle in order to ease the princess's nerves, but after a while, Belle would ask her to stop, because she would say that reading and _listening_ aren't the same things.

On other occasions, she would cry in the comfort of Anna's arms. Anna mostly said nothing, and just held Belle while she cried. Belle never whined, or complained—she just cried. It was her way of accepting her handicap, and all that Anna could do was be there for her.

…..

Over time, she quickly adapted to her lack of sight; her other senses became more adept at noticing her surroundings. It first started with her hearing distance, which became vastly improved. Later, her sense of touch was very sensitive, and she could differentiate different types of foods by brushing her fingertips over them. Her sense of smell, as well, became extremely receptive, and she could sense dinner was ready at least 20 minutes before it was officially called. Her father had even decided to give her a Seeing Eye dog to the princess in order to help her walk around without hurting herself.

0o0o0o

_With an elegant red leather leash adorning its neck, a lovely husky was presented to the princess. The dog, strong and well built, would have long endurance, and also prove to be a protector for the handicapped princess. The forbidding husky had sleek grey fur, with beautiful bluish-green eyes. Her piercing stare could easily scare off anyone who didn't know the dog well. When around familiar or friendly people, she was a very kind dog. Hurt anyone she had a fondness too, however, and she'd have no hesitation in ripping skin off bone._

"_Her name is Beryl. She's named that because of her green eyes," Maurice said, giving the leash to Belle. Beryl, in response to hearing her name called, shifted slightly, which caused her collar to jingle._

_Belle gently petted the dog's head, and giggled when she felt Beryl's wet nose sniff her fingers curiously. In order to have a better idea of what her dog looked like, Belle gingerly touched certain parts of the dog's face, highlighting certain distinguishing features such as the nose and ears. She frowned slightly when she felt the dog's elongated snout. _A wolf?

_"Father, is this a wolf?"_

"_No, it's a husky."_

_Belle beamed. Beryl was the perfect name for her dog. She was tough and beautiful—just like a Beryl stone._

0o0o0o

With help from Anna, Belle learned to navigate the castle. She navigated her way with Beryl's help, and with a cane device, which allowed her to "feel" her environment. Eventually, she learned to navigate effectively on her own, although Anna insisted that she stay by Belle's side. Slowly, Belle's attitude became hopeful.

"I can see...well kind of," Belle had said to Anna one day, with a semi-smile adorning her face, "I just have to learn how. And thanks to Beryl here," she petted her dog affectionately, "I don't feel as lost anymore."

Her attitude from then on readily improved, and her "happy act" in front of her father was not forced. Avonlea's beautiful Belle was smiling once again, with her smile instantly lighting up a room. And everything seemed okay.

Her optimism turned readily sour, however, when an accident occurred.

Belle, with her newfound sense of smell, was able to sense dinner cooking, and one day, she decided to walk into the kitchen. She took a deep breath, and sighed in contentment at the fresh smell of roasted meat that wafted into her nostrils. How she wished to cook again! It was too dangerous for her to try now, and she frowned at the realization.

She could _hear_ the hustle and bustle of the kitchen, and a few, "Hello, your majesty's" during her stay, but she didn't realize how crowded it was. Beryl, intimidated by the immense crowd in a small space, became frazzled, and started to pull hurriedly towards the exit. Meanwhile, a kitchen maid, carrying a pile of dishes that blocked her vision partially, didn't notice Belle as she was hurriedly running through to get to the other side.

Inevitably, there was a crash.

Belle had fallen, maybe earning a few bruises, and the kitchen maid got yelled at (but Belle implored the head cook to go easy on her), but thankfully, no one was seriously hurt.

When mulling after the accident, Belle became frustrated. Even with her improved senses, _and_ Beryl's help, she could _still_ get hurt. Worst of all, she was _still_ a burden on other people. And the accident only exacerbated her negative feelings towards herself.

_I'm just a useless paperweight._

Belle was a free spirit, and incredibly independent-minded. She hated depending on other people, especially when it was something that she could easily do herself. But, with her being blind, her life was constantly watched over by her father, and by Anna. Doing things on her own became difficult, and it didn't help that she felt as if she were suffocated by her setbacks. She greatly appreciated the help she was receiving, but she was tired of being constantly supervised.

She had never before felt so useless in her entire life. She had gained some optimism from her four improved senses, but after the accident, she realized she was still extremely dependent on other people, and that bothered her immensely.

When Anna came into her room, Belle couldn't help it, she cried in Anna's arms.

_And here I am, still dependent on Anna for comfort_.

Belle was becoming increasingly frustrated with herself, but she needed consoling. Anna, like before, rubbed her back gently, but said nothing.

This time, however, her resolve broke. Belle had never complained before to Anna, only to Beryl, but it wasn't the same. She didn't want to wallow too deeply into her sadness by voicing it to another _person_. By voicing out her frustrations, she believed that she would only think about her blindness more, and dwell upon her negative feelings longer. She resolved to keep silent about her sentiments, partly because she didn't want to burden Anna with her problems. For the most part, it was because she wanted to see if she could resolve her own problems; everything else was being done for her, since she couldn't do it herself. She had hoped that resolving her own issues was something she could do on her own. But being independent-minded can only go so far, and she _desperately_ needed someone to lean on.

"I hate being so useless," Belle said in a raspy voice, struggling to stifle the sobs. Anna was shocked, but said nothing, since it was the first time Belle had openly voiced her frustrations to her.

"You know me, I've always been independent minded. I've always been…free spirited." Belle laughed humorlessly. "I guess that's why I disliked Gaston so—he was determined to dominate my life, and turn me into a compliant woman. But I never wanted to be like that, and I still _never _want to be like that. And it just hurts that I…that I can't be independent anymore. For the rest of my life, I will always have to be dependent on _something _or_ someone_, whether it be my cane, or anyone else that has to assist me." Belle paused momentarily, and took a deep breath.

"I…I-I miss reading. I really appreciate you reading to me, Anna, I really do, but… I miss reading. I miss reading at my own pace, and watching the images of the story unfold in my head, like a play. It was a beautiful thing really…" Belle was rambling now, but she didn't care. She needed to get everything off her chest.

"But the worst thing is now I can't complete my dream. My ultimate dream _isn't_ to get married, or to gain power. All I want…is to see the _**world**_, Anna. The world. I've read about so many beautiful things, within a few day's journey from here…and I want to see it _all. _It's a simple dream really, but I can't now…because…my vision…" She trailed off, tearing up again.

Anna frowned, and continued to embrace Belle, when an idea popped into her head.

"You know, there's something we can try…"

….

The Evil Queen leered at the sleeping figure on her couch.

It was Le Fou.

Regina had taken Le Fou back to her lair, fully knowing his status: He was Gaston's loyal servant, and he could provide useful Intel on the Kingdom of Aryien. King William was an "ally" so to speak; he took a liking to Regina, and helped her occasionally with acquiring supplies, men, etc. As he always said to her, he considered them "kindred spirits," for their merciless rulings of their kingdoms were very similar in nature.

Except, of course, Regina's methods were _much _darker and unorthodox. Which was why, not surprisingly, King William developed a fondness towards the Queen.

Regina wasn't entirely trusting of him, but she trusted him enough to form a shaky alliance.

Unfortunately for William, however, he had recently crossed Regina by committing an unforgivable act: she had discovered, from along the grapevine, that he had helped the recently married Snow White and Prince James have safe passage in his kingdom, since James had known Gaston when they were younger.

_I was foolish to ever trust him._

William had promised Regina, on several occasions, that if Snow White was ever found in his kingdom, that she would be captured, and brought to Regina personally.

_But the fool thought he could keep this secret from me. I have eyes and ears _everywhere_ William, you should know better._

She had vowed, once she discovered the information, that the King was going to _pay_.

_And I have the perfect pawn to help me out. I just have to wait for him to wake up._

….

"There's no way we can sneak you out, Belle, even though we have the cover of night to help us. There's just too many damn guards surrounding the perimeter of the castle!"

Belle groaned inwardly. _Of course._ She recalled the conversation with her father a few weeks before.

"_I can't go outside of the castle?!"_

"_Sorry, Belle, I can't let you," Maurice said dejectedly, "We need to keep the fact that Gaston is imprisoned under wraps. I wrote a letter to King William, saying that he is happily spending time with you—an obvious lie, of course, but I don't want to start a war. If you are outside, people may wonder where he is. And…" Maurice took a deep breath, "I'm scared that something out of your or my control could happen again and hurt you. Gaston's actions were unpredictable and unexpected, and I wouldn't be able to handle it if something happened to you that I could've possibly prevented. Just give me time, please, Belle."_

That was _almost_ two months ago.

Belle replayed the plan in her head, feeling slightly nervous.

Anna and Belle were to seek the help of the Blue Fairy.

_But is that a good idea…?_

Belle felt uneasy about the Blue Fairy. She had remembered the story that Snow White told her years ago: the Blue Fairy had offered Snow a means of having her mother alive, but at the price of another's life. _Snow was only…10 at the time. That was a cruel thing for the Blue Fairy to do_.

But Anna, being calm and collected, reminded Belle that Snow was not _forced_ to do what the Blue Fairy suggested.

"_You have nothing to lose, Belle. You might as well try."_

Taking Anna's advice, Belle decided that she should go to the fairy with an open mind. After all, it wasn't fair for her to judge the fairy before she even met her. Unfortunately though, trying to _get_ to the Blue Fairy was already proving to be extremely difficult.

Belle gritted her teeth. _One of the many disadvantages of being an only child_.

She wasn't going to give up that easily, however, because she had a secret that she hadn't shared yet with Anna. Until now.

"Anna," Belle said in a hushed whisper as they ascended the stairs back to her room, "Can you help me move my bed?"

Belle could feel her confusion—_a yellow aura_—but she helped nevertheless, and gasped slightly when Belle fingered gingerly around the floor tile underneath her bed and pushed it, revealing a secret passage.

"Let me tell you, playing hide and seek with me when I was little was hell." Belle grinned mischievously. "Geez, I haven't been in these passages since I was a little girl. Anyway, you go down first. The stairs can be a little bit slippery, so be careful. Here—" Belle handed Anna an unlit torch. "You're going to need some light. Don't worry about me. I've been down there so many times, I remember where to go."

With trepidation etched onto her features, Anna slowly lowered herself down into the unknown. She then carefully helped Belle and Beryl down the stairs. Using her lighter, Anna lit the torch, but Belle successfully navigated them via castle tunnels without the usage of sight, rendering the torch useless.

The tunnels were muggy, and wet. The floor and walls of the tunnel were paved with stone, and years of water damage caused the stone to discolor. The three of them could hear the soft _patter _of mice scurrying along the floor, and the mugginess of the confined space made it difficult to breathe normally.

Panting heavily, Belle ran her hand against the side of the tunnel wall, flinching slightly when she felt a foreign substance that she didn't really _want_ to know the name of touch her delicate fingers. After a deal of walking, they made their way to the very end of the path, which was a dead end. A formidable-looking stone wall stood in their way, but Belle was unfazed. Feeling around the wall, Belle smiled when she found what she was looking for. On the stone wall, there was one stone in particular that felt rougher than the others, but was weathered slightly after years of water damage. Using all her strength, she pushed against the stone, causing the wall to swing open. It led to the outside world, and Belle didn't realize how much she longed to be outside of the castle walls up until now.

She cautiously peered out from the door before she stepped out. The secret exit was located towards the _back_ of the castle, while most of the soldiers were positioned in front. Thankfully, the forest they needed to go to was right _behind_ the castle, so that made their getaway that much easier.

Belle ushered Anna and Beryl out, and tried to close the door quietly, but the door's heavy frame and rusted hinges created a loud noise, which incited the guards locate the source of it.

With no time to lose, the three of them ran as fast as they could into the forest. Although Belle thought she would be terrified to run into a forest at night, she felt exhilarated. She loved the flowing feeling of the wind, because it felt like soft fabric was being whisked gently against her skin. As for her hearing, she could still hear the wildlife stirring all around her, as well as the leaves that crunched pleasantly under her feet, despite the fact the sound of the wind was whizzing by her ears. She could smell the freshness of the overturned earth they treaded on as they scurried into the depths of the forest, along with the humidity of the night. Belle grimaced slightly when she tasted the full force of the clammy air as it seeped into her panting mouth. She shivered when she realized the increased intensity of her senses. Everything she experienced in the outside world was new and exciting now-in some ways more exciting than when she could see. But she was grounded back into reality when she felt Anna's hand pulling her back, signaling her to slow down.

"We're at a clearing."

According to the myth, you can find any clearing in the forest that allowed you to see the blue star, and wish upon it with all your might. Although Belle couldn't see it, the clearing was beautiful. The moonlight filtered through the trees, illuminating both of them in her light. The world, at that moment, seemed to be silent, as if waiting for Belle and Anna to bestow their wish upon the Blue Fairy.

Despite the fact that Belle couldn't look at the Blue Star and wish upon it herself, she sensed its light despite her blindness, looked sky bound, and prayed with fervor that she could have her sight back.

For a while, nothing seemed to happen, and Belle fidgeted nervously.

_What if the myth was wrong? What is she was busy? What if...  
_  
Beryl growled menacingly, startling both Belle _and_ Anna.

Wide-eyed and alert, Anna followed Beryl's gaze, which landed on the Blue Fairy. Her blue glittering form flew towards Belle, and Belle instinctively turned toward the sound of rapidly beating wings.

"It is brave of you to go to the forest in the condition you are in, Princess Belle. But I am glad that you have wonderful friends who are willing to help you." She gestured towards Anna and Beryl.

Belle smiled, and nodded approvingly.

"I see that you've come to ask me for help in regaining your vision."

Hope swelled within Belle.

_Yes! I'll be able to see again!  
_  
"...but I cannot help you."

Belle's face fell. "B-but you're the Blue Fairy! Y-you are very powerful. Surely there's s-something you can d-do?!" Belle sputtered out, trying to keep her cool. The Blue Fairy offered to save Snow's mother, for crying out loud, who was dying. Belle's situation was a far cry from being fatal, so the Blue fairy should be able to help, right?

"You offered to save Snow's mother in exchange for someone else's life!" Belle blurted before she could stop herself. "N-not that I want you to take someone else's vision, b-but I want to know why you can't help me..."

The Blue Fairy looked puzzled at Belle's accusation of her dealing with Snow White and Queen Eva. _I do not know what she is talking about_. But she chose to ignore Belle's allegation and answer her question.

"You see, if your blindness was inflicted upon you by magic, this would be easily curable. But your injury," the Blue Fairy said, her face darkening, "was inflicted upon you with ill-intent. Unfortunately, my magic isn't powerful enough to help you. You can only be healed by the creation of a powerful potion, which is something I do not have the capability of producing."

"Then who does?" Belle was desperate now, for she was nearing the end of her rope.

Worry flickered in The Blue Fairy's eyes, but Belle couldn't see it. She felt the Fairy's anxiety instead, and she began to fear the answer to her question.

"I normally wouldn't suggest this, and maybe we can look for something else—"

"Tell me!" Belle interjected, feeling slightly annoyed instead of scared, "I'm tired of being sheltered, and being overprotected. I just want to know the truth."

With reluctance, she revealed the answer the princess wanted. "The Dark One."

Belle felt her blood run cold.

...

With a quick flick of her wand, the Blue Fairy transported them safely back into the confines of the castle. The fairy had told them that he may ask for something of importance to Belle, since he's striking a deal with her, which is why it was better to summon him back at the castle.

_"Just call his name, and he will come. You know the name I speak of, right Princess?"_

Belle shivered. _Everyone_ knew his name. It was saying it, however, that was difficult._  
_  
Although Belle knew her father would disapprove, she had to what she believed was right.

_If it were up to him, he'd lock me up forever here and protect me from the world. No one decides my fate but __**me**__. I need to make decisions for myself.  
_  
With renewed fervor and resolve, she stood in the middle of the throne room, ready to change her fate once and for all.

"Rumplestiltskin, I summon thee."

* * *

_**A/n – YAY FINISHED. That was 5,562 words, and 14 pages O3O; I'm pooped.**_

_**But YES. Rumple will be in the next chapter I'm STOKED. I'm really excited to write his character :3**_

_**Again, a HUGE thank you to everyone who has read, followed, or reviewed my story! I appreciate the feedback from you guys—it encourages me to write :) **_

_**Please review, I love hearing from you! :)**_


	4. Chapter 4 - Fearful Fascination

_**Hello **_**dearies! :)**

_**Sorry for the long-ish update! College crap x_x **_

_**And honestly, thank you to EVERYONE who has been with me since the beginning. I'm not going to lie, the first 3 chapters were the "necessary evils" that had to be read to get to this point :P It's going to be so much more exciting from here on out because **__**RUMPLESTILTSKIN IS HERE**__**. I will note though—there is no "love at first sight" here, because well, Belle is **__lacking__** in that department (...excuse my lameness I couldn't help it xD). **_

_**Anyway, as I've said before I would like to say a HUGE **__**thank you**__** to EVERYONE who has reviewed and followed/favorited my story! I REALLY appreciate everyone who has given me feedback! ALMOST AT **__**40**__** followers (holy shit), and I've only had 3 chapters up so far. I'm really happy with the response my fanfic has been getting! Thanks again guys! :')**_

_**Haha, judging from all the reviews, it seems I'm not the only one looking forward to the interaction between **_**Blind Belle and Rumple****!**

_**Anyway, this chapter will mostly centralize around Belle and Rumple's relationship, which makes me really happy. :D Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I've enjoyed writing it! :)**_

**Summary****: After a horrible accident, Belle becomes blind. In a desperate attempt to see again, she goes to see Rumplestiltskin, and makes a deal with him to stay in his castle while he formulates a potion to cure her blindness. What she doesn't expect, however, was to fall in love with someone she can't even see. **

**DISCLAIMER: **I do NOT own Once Upon a Time or any of their characters (as well the quotes that they say IN the show, because I will be using some). This story idea, and any of my OC's, however, are my own :)

**Chapter 4 – Fearful Fascination**

"You know _dearie_, you don't have to be so formal. Just saying my name would've sufficed." The infamous Dark One barred his teeth in an impish smile, clearly entertained by the startled princess's expression. His smile immediately downturned when glancing at the dog, who was growling at him menacingly.

Rumplestiltskin rolled his eyes. With a quick flick of his hand, he silenced the dog, and it was now growling soundlessly at him. _That's much better._

Beryl yelped silently in surprise, but Belle didn't notice the lack of sound that her poor dog was making. Like a rocking ship in unsteady waters, her emotions were tumultuous nature, and she struggled to keep herself calm. She felt nervousness, happiness, and fear all at _once_, and she struggled to make sense of it all.

Rumplestiltskin wordlessly studied the princess while she tried to contain her chaotic emotions. Her once vibrant blue eyes, now glazed over and faded due to her injury, still glowed beautifully in the pale moonlight. She was looking in his general direction, but not directly at him, and he felt the puzzle pieces click together in his head.

_Aye, now I understand why she wants me here.__  
_  
But he also realized something while observing her-she was calmer than anyone he had ever encountered. He was all too familiar with the wide-eyed stares, the uncontrollable shaking, the stuttering, and the distasteful glances—and yet, she did none of that. She was nervous, that was certain, but she didn't show very much of it. _Then again, she can't even see me. If she could, she'd probably react just like everyone else._

Despite his initial observation, his cynicism got the better of him, and he ended up scowling slightly at the princess. The Dark One couldn't help but note that she was a _woman_—and dealing with women was something he feared and resented all the same. He shuddered involuntarily. His dealings with women-whether it be romantically, or even in the deal-making business, weren't exactly _pleasant_.

Rumplestiltskin immediately thought of Milah—his first love. She betrayed him _**and**_ their son, for a dirty, sniveling pirate, who ultimately caused her untimely demise (or so he convinced himself of). His mind then jumped to one of his worst deal-breakers, which was Cora. She not only failed to uphold her end of the bargain, but she broke his heart in the process, reinforcing his fear of loving another woman. And then there was _Regina_. He had basically created his own enemy by teaching her magic, and to add insult to injury, she was the daughter of the woman he formerly loved.

So clearly, he had _wonderful_ relations with the women he dealt with.

Brushing all previous thoughts of his unfortunate past history, Rumplestiltskin was set on accomplishing what he came to do.

"I know exactly why you've sent for me!" The Dark One said whilst smiling, revealing rows of repugnant teeth that could set any man on edge.

Belle, previously shocked into silence, decided to speak up. "Am I that obvious?" She asked, giggling nervously, "I guess I'm not looking directly at you, am I?" On a whim, she turned her head slightly to the right, and looked straight ahead. "Is that better?"

Rumplestiltskin found himself staring into her greyish-blue eyes, almost losing himself in its hue. He had never been looked at which such intensity, or fiery determination before, because many people feared that something dreadful would happen if they tried. After a while, she even smiled, for she was a person who could never be serious for too long.

Now Rumplestiltskin was _really_ taken aback. No one had ever smiled at him in that way as a _normal_ man, much less as the _Dark One_. He was accustomed to getting dirty or disgusted looks, especially subtle ones. He was desensitized to all of that now, and in fact, was _more_ surprised when he _didn't_ receive hateful glances. After all, power was his friend, and he desired no other company. In his mind, he was perfectly content with that.

He pulled himself out of his musings. "I can't cure you with magic, unfortunately, _dearie_, because of the matter of which your injury was inflicted. I can only cure you with the formulation of a potion. I haven't cured blindness caused by malicious physical injury in many years, so it may take some _time_."

Belle's grin was immediately wiped off her face, and immediately replaced with a frown. "H-how long exactly...?"

Rumplestiltskin shrugged. "Hard to say, _dearie_, these things take time. After all, _all_ magic, potion or not, comes with a **price**."

At that moment, Belle felt her internal rocking ship halt to a stop. She didn't feel nervous, scared, or happy anymore. Instead, she just felt _determined_ to do whatever it took to regain her sight.

"Name your price. I'll pay anything you ask for, and I'll wait as long as it takes for you to find a cure."

The feistiness in her voice was irrefutable, and Rumplestiltskin raised his eyebrows in amusement. "You're willing to give me _anything _that I ask for?"

"Anything your heart desires. I'll give you all the reserves of gold that I have, if that's what you want."

Whilst laughing, Dark One shook his head. "Well, you see…I _make_ gold, so I don't need any more to add to my collection!" He laughed his signature laugh, with a playful expression dancing across his crocodilian features. "I need something…much more valuable than that." He paused for a moment, thinking about what that would be. He looked at Belle again, examining her, and trying to perceive what was special to her.

She had many things she held dear, but one stood out in particular: Her love for her kingdom, her father, and everyone she cared about.

Rumplestiltskin blanched. _The only way I could exact that price is to… _

Could he really handle having someone else live at his castle? For the longest time, he had always been _alone._ Ever since he became the Dark One, everyone he developed some sort of attachment to, minimal or not, left him. In his mind, it was easier to not have any attachments at all, and just be alone. _Well,_ s_he'd only stay for a little while anyway—just until the potion's made. Then she'll leave, and my normal way of life can resume_.

Although Rumplestiltskin didn't want to admit it, he was fascinated by her. Surely, she _must_ have heard horror stories about the Dark One, and his _fearful_ powers—which were not overrated, by any stretch of the imagination-and yet she didn't shake or quiver in fear. Instead, she was now being demanding and feisty in her tone of voice. In a weird sense, he wanted to learn about her, know why and _how_ she could act this way in his presence…which made him change his attitude.

He'd much rather exact a different price, but nothing else was of greater value to the young princess. _But,_ he mused, _maybe this won't be so bad._

Belle fidgeted slightly, feeling anxious about what his price would be.

_What's of great value to me…?_

Her mind immediately jumped to her mother's dress, tucked safely away in her closet.

_If I have to give that up, so be it. _She saddened at the thought.

Then her mind jumped to the necklace around her neck, which she grabbed instinctively.

_I…I guess I can part with this too, if I have to._

But she didn't expect to hear the words that Rumplestiltskin would say next.

"My price…is _you_. You are to stay in my castle until you can see the world through your eyes once more."

Belle was dumbfounded, causing her throat to immediately dry. "C-Can you repeat that?"

"You heard me perfectly well, _dearie_. I don't think I have to repeat myself."

She wanted her vision, that was for certain, but was she willing to pay the price? She'd be leaving her kingdom, _indefinitely_, for a promise.

Nevertheless, this was the only option she had left. All other options were naught.

She was about to accept, when the thunderous sound of footsteps approached the room.

"BELLE. Please don't go with him! He's a **monster**. Your vision is worth much, my dear daughter, but it's not worth endangering yourself!"

Belle groaned inwardly. _Oh Papa…_

Her father and Anna, along with several guards, marched into the throne room, all pointing their spears at The Dark One.

"Aha," Rumplestiltskin said impishly, turning towards Belle. "I see you've enlisted my help without permission. You're quite persistent in your endeavor _dearie._"

"You have no right to address her as such!" Maurice seethed in anger. Belle was the _princess_, and that horrid _beast_ wasn't giving the princess proper respect.

Rumplestiltskin looked undeterred. "You see, _your majesty, _she's enlisting _my _help, not the other way around. Therefore, I am at liberty to call her whatever I desire."

Belle stood awkwardly between her father and the Dark One as they were quarreling over her.

"How dare you—"

"…it's her decision."

"Well I won't let you!"

"It's not a matter of you _letting_ her or not _your majesty_…"

"…say that again and I'll _kill_ you on the spot."

"You can die trying."

She couldn't take it anymore—she had to take action. _No one decides my fate but me_.

"STOP THIS RIGHT NOW." Belle's voice resounded through the hall, and she was startled by the anger that was present in her voice. "You both are fighting over me, but you both haven't given me the opportunity to say what's on _my _mind."

Belle's father looked horrified, while Rumplestiltskin looked amused.

_She's quite spirited, that Belle_. He found himself wanting to know more about her, which intrigued and also frightened him.

Rumplestiltskin focused his attention on Belle, who was now standing by her father's side. "I love you, so very, _very_ much Papa. But, Rumplestiltskin is the only option I have left to regain my vision. I know you're scared to let me go, but I can't stay trapped within these castle walls forever. I can't forever be reliant on devices," she motioned to her cane, "or Beryl. I long to be independent, Papa, you know that. And, if I have to leave for a bit to achieve my dreams, so be it. I'll come back Papa, I _promise_."

Maurice sighed. Belle _never _broke a promise, for she made few resolute ones. He didn't want to relent, but he knew his daughter—her determination was unyielding, especially when it came to attaining a goal. Even so, he looked at his daughter imploringly, hoping to change her mind. _I've lost Cyrene, I can't lose her too…_

"Belle, please, think about this…"

"No, I've made my decision. I want to decide my own fate, and this is what I want." Belle's voice was firm, yet gentle towards her father, because she knew he was falling apart on the inside.

She looked for Anna now, and when she found her, Anna started to break down in tears. "I-I'm sorry Belle, I didn't mean to upset you by telling the King, I…"

"Shhh, it's okay," Belle reassured, "You did what you thought was right. I appreciate you being concerned over me. You are a good friend, Anna, don't ever forget that."

After saying her final goodbyes, she walked towards Rumplestiltskin, who was frozen into place.

"I will go with you, but please let me take Beryl too."

…...

Belle was very scared. She was in an unfamiliar place, and with her lack of vision, a new environment was that much scarier.

Rumplestiltskin guided her into the foyer, and with its high ceiling, she became slightly disoriented at the echoing of her footsteps. She then prodded forward, and felt short wooden posts. _Must be a dinner table._

"Feel free to explore around _dearie_," Rumplestiltskin said, sitting down in front of his spinning wheel. "But try not to bump into anything, wouldn't want something _heavy _to fall on that pretty little head of yours." He laughed his signature high pitched laugh, and continued to spin his seemingly endless amount of straw.

Belle, rather than explore, felt around for the nearest chair, and sat down, with Beryl following along obediently.

"I'd…rather talk." Belle said nervously, fidgeting uncomfortably. "If I'm going to stay with you for a bit, I might as well get to know the person I'm with."

She then paused and listened intently, and heard the soft _whir_ of the spinning wheel. She hadn't heard one since her mother died, and she was surprised that Rumplestiltskin had one in his possession. When Cyrene was alive, she used to spin wool into the most luxurious yarn, weaving them into beautiful tapestries that were displayed throughout the castle. After her death, however, all spinning wheels were taken out of the castle, because it pained her father to see them.

"Are you spinning wool into thread?" Belle asked curiously, "that's unusual habit for the 'Almighty Dark One' to do!" She giggled at her own comment.

The Dark One, in concentration, replied with a slight detached tone, "No, _dearie_, I'm spinning straw into gold."

"Straw? I didn't know that was possible. My mother used to spin wool into thread, but never straw into gold. How do you change it into gold?"

"Magic." He said simply, continuing to spin. "Magic is a wondrous thing."

"Is it possible for _anyone_ to spin straw into gold?

Rumplestiltskin looked pained. He thought of Cora, and how innocent she was before his influence over her. She used to be magicless, just like he was. Unpleasant memories he wanted to _forget_ came rushing in like a waterfall, and he felt ill at ease.

"Well, it _is _possible; someone can teach you magic, or someone can channel magic directly into the wheel that is being used while the straw is being spun."

He was so engrossed in his work that he didn't realize the implications of what he said until Belle's eyes lit up eagerly. "Can _I _spin straw into gold?"

He bit his lip. _Me and by big mouth._ "You might break it." Rumplestiltskin said automatically, subconsciously turning himself and his spinning wheel away from her. He was very possessive of his belongings, _especially_ ones that gave him great comfort.

Belle snorted. "That's the last thing I'll do, especially with _you_ as my captor. And besides, I know how to spin already, my mom taught me when I was a little girl."

He opened his mouth to say '_No,' _but immediately closed it when he saw Belle's dogged expression—her eyes burned like blue flames, and her lips puffed up slightly like a fish's. Her eyebrows also furrowed in a certain way, he noted, when she was _determined_ to do something. Without him being fully aware of what he was saying, he found himself mouthing the word "Yes."

He cringed involuntarily at her delighted squeal. _Ah…well, she'll give up anyway after a short while, since she can't see what she's doing._

As much as he wanted to deny her the opportunity of even _touching_ his wheel, he now found himself becoming more and more curious to see how well she'd spin without her sight.

Belle approached Rumplestiltskin and his spinning wheel, but not without Beryl growling at him in the process. She petted her dog, attempting to calm her down.

_Damn dog. I should've made that soundless spell permanent._

"Remind me again, _dearie_," The Dark One said, looking slightly irritated as he glared at the brisling dog, "why you had to bring that _thing_ along with you?"

"She has a name you know, it's _Beryl_." Belle said defensively. "And unless you want me to practically bump into everything in your house, I suggest you keep her here. She helps me navigate around."

He rolled his eyes. _The things I put up with for the sake of a deal._

Once Beryl was calmed down—which took a little while—Belle situated herself in front of the spinning wheel. She operated purely on memory; her nimble fingers worked its way quickly on the wheel, and despite not being able to see, she spun tightly wound strands of straw.

He was intrigued. Despite her lack of vision, she could wind straw effectively.

_It seems I underestimated her. _And with that, his curiosity for her grew. His initial uneasiness about letting her into his abode was dissolved. He found himself not minding her company, although he thought he would absolutely detest it.

He now placed his hand on the edge of the spinning wheel, and concentrated on flowing his magic into his hand, which caused the departing strands of straw to transform into gold.

The room was filled with the melodic sound of the spinning wheel, which echoed serenely in the foyer. She relished the sound, since she hadn't heard it in so long. To her, it was one of the few connections with her mother that she had left, and she was grateful that Rumplestiltskin was willing to share his wheel with her.

"So…your name is Rumplestiltskin?" Belle said while spinning, trying to make conversation. "It's such a unique name, I've never heard of another quite like it."

Rumplestiltskin raised his eyebrow inquisitively. Someone thought his name was _interesting?_ He said nothing, but continued to watch her spin as his curiosity peaked towards his new guest.

"But it's really _long_. Can I call you _Rumple_ instead?"

Rumplestiltskin stopped focusing his magic into his hand, and looked at Belle confusedly while she spun. She continued to spin, but now her strands were just straw, because he lost concentration in what he was doing.

"No one I've ever talked to," Rumplestiltskin said, eyeing Belle warily, "has ever bothered to nickname _me_."

"Maybe you're talking to the wrong people," Belle countered jokingly, with a twinkle in her eye.

He just stared at Belle as she continued to spin gold-less straw.

…

When Le Fou awoke, he found himself in the _last _place he expected to be.

_Queen Regina's castle…?_

"You're awake."

Regina's voice caused Le Fou to jump, and he felt shivers run uncomfortably down his spine.

He had never liked Regina since he met her, although King William and Prince Gaston seemed to have quite a fondness towards her. She always set him on edge, and every time she visited the Kingdom of Aryien, Le Fou would always slip away.

But here he was, in the heart of her lair.

"W-why am I here?" He cowered under Regina's snake-like leer.

"You were on the brink of death in _my _forest. You were lucky that I picked you up, or you would've been dead. I have to ask, why _were _you in my forest?"

Le Fou, still slightly dazed, became enraged again when he recounted the day Gaston left him in the forest. "I was left behind by Prince Gaston. He was going to see Princess Belle of Avonlea." He clenched his fists. "I…want him to pay for everything for everything he's ever done to me. He's always mistreated me, and abused me, and taken me for granted. I've been working for him for many years, and all I've gotten is _shit _from him."

Regina grinned. _Yes_, he has something against Aryien.

_And I can use that to my advantage._

The Evil Queen's eyes sparkled with something Le Fou and never seen before—joy. It was a sick sense of happiness, although Le Fou was unaware of the entirety of her plans.

"What do you say," Regina said, looking at Le Fou, "that we make a deal. You and I. We both have something against the Kingdom of Aryien, and we can both get what we want by working together."

…...

"Rumple, do you need to eat? I'm curious, since you wield extensive amounts of magic."

For the few days that she stayed in his castle so far, she noted that Rumplestiltskin was always at the other end of the table whenever she ate her meals, but she heard no clinking of silverware from his side.

He does, in fact, but he did so when Belle was busy exploring the castle, or when she was asleep. Instead of eating with her, he preferred to watch the way she ate her meals. Belle didn't just eat—she _performed_. Her delicate hands would always weave its way around the mini feast laid out in front of her, and she would determine what type of food it was by touch and smell. Everything was done deliberately, and precisely. She would first scoop up some soup, with very few drops spilling onto the table, and gracefully pour herself a cup of tea. Then, she would, with some feeling around first, determine which dish she'd like—some days she'd have chicken, other days beef, or even pork, for example—and she would carefully guide it back to her plate.

"Why, yes, dearie, of course I need to eat."

"Oh? Do you need to eat something in particular? Like strange potions or weird cocktails?" Belle picked up her teacup and began to sip from it.

An odd smile graced his features. "No, I don't consume any of those things, dearie. I just eat _children_."

She choked on her tea in surprise, and accidentally dropped her cup on the floor.

With her sensitive hearing, she heard something break off, and panic rose within her.

_Oh no, I damaged it! He's going to be _furious_ with me.  
_  
Rumplestiltskin was amused. When Belle first met him, she wasn't nearly as frazzled as she was now. She bent over in her chair and felt around for the cup, with fear written all over her face. For a fleeting moment, he felt like helping her, but decided against it when she located the cup. Her fingertips brushed the handle, but it was slightly out of her reach. Instead of getting up and retrieving the cup, she opted for bending over _more _in her chair, which caused mayhem.

Because she leaned too far forward in her chair, she fell headfirst against the table leg, and caused the back of the chair to hit the table. The impact of the back of the chair knocked off her dinner plate, which spiraled ungracefully to the floor, along with the food on it.

She reached, despite the carnage, for the cup, and found it, surprisingly unbroken except for a small chip on its side.

"I-I'm sorry...I was trying to get the cup and then..."

Under normal circumstances, Rumplestiltskin would've gotten extremely angry...but for some reason, he wasn't. Instead, he chortled in laughter, but stifled it when he saw Belle's worrisome expression.

"You know, dearie, it's just a cup. You didn't have to go through all that trouble for it."

* * *

_**a/n: There you go, the first meeting, AND the cup scene in one chapter :) Hope it was worth the wait! Honestly, I love writing **__**Rumplestiltskin—he's such a fun character to write about! Please let me know what you think! Personally, I can imagine these scenarios happening between these two haha! I don't think it's OOC, but feedback is MUCH appreciated :D**_

_**And ooh the plot thickens between Le Fou and Regina. I promise, it will all make sense in the next chapter…let's just say, Regina is a bitch. But oh well, we already knew that. And I still love her anyway.**_

_**Please rate and review! I'll really appreciate it :)**_


	5. Chapter 5 - Realizations

_**Hello dearies~**_

_**I am so sorry for the kindaish long update ): Earlier last week, I was buying supplies for my dorm room, and moving in! :) It's also my first week of college, which is really exciting for me! I went to a bunch of parties before school started, and I've also been reading my ass off! D: I promise though, I will **__**NOT**__** abandon this story, although my updates will be irregular since I'm taking hard classes ^^; (boo to biomedical science major/being in the honors college)**_

_**ANYWAY, enough about my life, back to the story! I hope you enjoy this chapter :D there is a bit of angst in this chapter (I've been wanting to write some!), so I hope you **__especially __**enjoy that! **_

_**And I was SUPPOSED to include Regina and Le Fou in this chapter…but that part didn't work out. That'll be in the next chapter. Instead this chapter is ALL about Rumple and Belle…which I don't think anyone minds ;)**_

**Summary****: After a horrible accident, Belle becomes blind. In a desperate attempt to see again, she goes to see Rumplestiltskin, and makes a deal with him to stay in his castle while he formulates a potion to cure her blindness. What she doesn't expect, however, was to fall in love with someone she can't even see. **

**DISCLAIMER: **I do NOT own Once Upon a Time or any of their characters (as well the quotes that they say IN the show, because I will be using some). This story idea, and any of my OC's, however, are my own :)

**Chapter 5 –Realizations**

_No, no, NO_. _They're __**all**__ wrong._

Rumplestiltskin glared at the array of cloudy-colored vials, some encrusted with unknown substances that resulted from a faulty mixture, while others contained awkward lumps that floated near the surface. His glare was piercing, and it seemed like all the vials would explode under his fuming stare.

The Dark One sighed heavily. He was becoming increasingly frustrated with his ability. He thought a potion like this would take a shorter amount of time, maybe a day at most. He had been working on this potion for almost two _weeks_ now, and still, no results had come from it. He had even gathered some rare plants, grounding their earthly tendrils into a fine powder, and _still_, no results.

_The damn things I do for the sake of a deal!_

Despite being frustrated, he continued to sacrifice many, _many_ hours for the blind beauty, and he became more angry and volatile with every passing second.

_Dammit, why isn't it working the way I want it to? There's got to be something I'm missing here._

But no matter how much Rumplestiltskin spun on his wheel, or paced around his potion room, nothing came to him.

_It's _her_ fault._

Deep in his heart, he knew it wasn't true, but he had a _bad_ habit of blaming other people for his shortcomings. His anger wasn't helping rationalize his thoughts, either.

_Since she's arrived, I haven't been able to focus on any of my damn tasks properly._

He paced anxiously around the room, suppressing the urge to practically destroy everything in the room in frustration.

_She's getting to me_.

Belle's smiles and laughter was contagious, and he found himself smiling a lot more than he used to, which contrasted greatly with how he was before her arrival into his life.

But, he was also being more _distracted_ and unable to conduct his work _peacefully, _like he used to.

o0o0o0o0o

"_If you want to explore, dearie, don't go upstairs, stay on the first floor. You can explore as much as you want down here."_

_Rumplestiltskin_ _had left Belle to her own devices, while he went into his potion room. He had barely gotten started with brewing even _one_ potion, when he heard Belle's startled screech from the foyer, accompanied by Beryl's insistent barking._

_He groaned. _What'd she do now?

_Walking into the foyer, he was greeted with the incredulous sight of Belle, hanging desperately onto a partially torn curtain, and her only means of escape, a ladder, on the floor, while Beryl was now whimpering desperately._

"_First, you ruin some of my finest china, and sprawl food all over my hardwood floor. And then you proceed to tear my curtain. What's next, dearie?" Rumplestiltskin's mouth twitched into a smile before he could stop himself. _

_Belle grinned sheepishly as her grip tightened around the velvety fabric. "S-sorry…I…I was trying to bring some light in here. Even though I can't see, I can detect traces of light in rooms, you know. I was hoping to brighten the room up a bit. But, I—" _

_The curtain then tore under Belle's weight, tearing completely off of the railing._

_She clenched her eyelids shut, with no screams escaping from her mouth. She expected to make an ungraceful impact onto the floor, and she waited in anticipation._

_But no impact came._

_Instead, she fell into the awaiting arms of Rumplestiltskin, who grinned mischievously at her. _

"_You should be careful, dearie, being blind _and_ handicapped isn't becoming. After all, fixing broken limbs __**definitely**__ wasn't part of our deal." _

_She arched a delicate eyebrow questioningly, trying to withhold the giggles that were threatening to spill out of her throat. "You really mean that?"_

_Rumplestiltskin rolled his eyes, and spoke in a roguish tone. "Why, of course I do, dearie, I am a man of my word, after all." _

_She whacked him playfully on the shoulder, and giggled slightly at his jest. He winced involuntarily at her touch, and the spot that she touched seemed to feel hotter than the rest of his body._

_He said nothing as he released her from his hold, easing her onto her own two feet.__"And about your curtain dilemma…" He snapped his fingers, and the curtains disappeared from the windows. Blinding beams of light filtered its way into the room, and he blinked, unaccustomed to the brightness of his former dark foyer._

_Belle turned towards the light, and then turned back to The Dark One, with a beautiful smile adorning her face.__"Thank you so much Rumple! At least I don't have to practically risk my life again just to take the curtains down!"__She laughed, and he, with little prompting, laughed along with her— but the spot on his arm still felt flaming hot.__  
_

o0o0o0o0o

Rumplestiltskin looked down at his hands, which were a sickly shade of crocodilian green, and reflected light oddly off his skin. He then examined his blackened nails, chipped and weathered due to their constant exposure to odd chemicals.

_Why is she so kind to me...?__  
_  
He was startled by Belle's readied acceptance of him. She acted as if...he were _human_.

_But I'm a beast. __  
_  
He then went into the corner of his potion room towards a tall object that was covered by coarse fabric. He removed it, revealing a gleaming mirror.

Rumplestiltskin looked at himself for a moment, and scowled. His hair was disheveled and tangled from months of neglect, his clothes were dirtied with dried blood and dirt, and his scaly skin was more prominent due to the angle of the light in the room.

_How would she act if she saw __**this**__? Would she still even __**speak**__ to me?__  
_  
He covered the mirror as quickly as he revealed it, and sat down, submerged deeply in his thoughts. His mind flashed back to the first day he met her, and how she vehemently voiced her desires of wanting to see again, and leaving her kingdom for the sake of her sight.

_Curiosity does kill the cat._

He realized, with a start, that it was his initial fascination with her was the cause of his emotional turmoil. Rumplestiltskin also realized, with a sense of fear, that he was changing...changing into someone he didn't know anymore.

_I never cared about how I looked before. I was perfectly happy with the way I am_.

And yet, now, he found himself wanting to change, just a _little_, to be someone that could look even _somewhat_ pleasant, so that when she _could_ see, she wouldn't cry out in fear.

_She's getting to me…she's getting to me…__  
_  
Rumplestiltskin also found himself yearning for Belle's company, and he didn't realize how lonesome he was until she arrived. His whole entire world as he knew it was slowly crashing down on itself, and he felt uneasy at the changes that she was bringing into his life.

The most troubling repercussion was that focusing on his work was extremely difficult because of her. Whether it was directly—her antics throughout the castle—or indirectly—like right _now_, as he mused over his inner thoughts, she was a new unexpected constant in his life.

And he found that he didn't mind that.

However, his fear of rejection got the better in him.

_If she were to see me, she'd never want to talk to me again.__  
_  
Rumplestiltskin's inner fear festered in his mind, like a tumor, seeming to worsen slowly with every passing day. The more he became closer to her, the more his anxiety grew. When he was alone, the anxieties would nearly consume him, threatening to engulf his mind and soul. But...when he was with her, his inhibitions would disappear. But once he left her company, his anxieties would not only come back, but be intensified tenfold.

Since that encounter with the curtain, he found himself locked himself up more often in his potion room, trying to sort out his thoughts. No one had ever caused him to be in such a delicate state such as this, and he was perplexed at his own emotions.

Part of him wanted to finish the potion quickly, so she could _leave_, while the other half...wanted to delay the potion, so she could _stay_.

_I never said how long I had to concoct the cure. She is to stay until she can see through her eyes once_ more…_Those were the conditions that were set. _He was, after all, a man of his word, and finding loopholes was his forte.

While immersed in his thoughts, he heard the distant breaking of glass from where he was, along with the harsh sound of broken shards clinking unpleasantly on the floor.

He felt panic slowly boil in his blood—he knew something was terribly wrong.

As fast as he could run, he entered his foyer, and found a hooded man gingerly grasping a wand on one of many pedestals the Dark One had.  
_  
_He leered at the thief with narrowed eyes. "Are you sure you want to do _**that**_, _dearie?"_

The intruder was surprisingly at ease, considering the fact he was in close proximity to Rumplestiltskin's menacing glare.

"I'm pretty sure."

The Dark One eyed the wand in the hooded man's hand warily, almost willing for it to float out of his grasp.

"You sure how to use that wand? It can do pretty _ghastly _things to you if you don't know what you're doing." He sneered at his comment, hoping to put the confident man down a peg or two.

The intruder seemed unfazed. "If that's the case," he stashed the wand away, "then I'll use what I'm familiar with."

He drew out his long slender bow, polished and gleaming brightly in the curtain-less foyer, and drew one of his many arrows from his pack. "This bow and arrow is _magical. _It never misses its target."

Rumplestiltskin grinned impishly at the bowman, who had his arrow aimed directly at The Dark One's heart. "Well, that's if you can _catch _me first _dearie_."

He immediately appeared and reappeared in many places within the room, which caused the hooded man to move his aim rapidly in different places, but he never released his hold on the slender wooden arrow.

His concentration was broken, however, when Beryl rushed forward and bit a part of his trouser leg, which accidentally caused him to release his arrow—towards Belle.

The poor girl, startled because her dog suddenly decided to barrel her way towards the foyer even though she was in her room on the _far_ side of the first floor, was completely unaware of what was going on.

The intruder's eyes widened as the arrow turned sharply to the left, just _barely_ missing Belle's face, and instead hit Rumplestiltskin squarely in the chest.

"You can try to hurt me," Rumplestiltskin spat out, pulling the arrow out of his chest and making it disappear with a poof of smoke, "but don't _ever_ attempt to hurt _her_ again."

The bowman's initial confidence immediately receded into the background. Rumplestiltskin's anger before was more playful, but now, it was sinister. His eyes became blacker than tar, and his face scrunched into a horrible expression that could cause any man to tremble.

"I-I didn't mean…"

"Magic, as well as foolishness, _dearie,_ always comes with a price." The Dark One interjected. "And that price," he gestured towards Belle's shocked countenance, "could have caused this girl to have serious injury on her pretty little face."

Rumplestiltskin grinned maliciously at the bowman's paled face.

"But the price still needs to be paid."

The hooded man was at a loss for a comeback, and he was frozen in place. "As a result, y_ou _must pay for your wrongdoing."

…...

The hooded man was promptly thrown into the dungeon, and Belle, while perusing through her fragmented images of the world she remembered in her mind, could hear the agonizing screams of his torture down below.

She felt a strange emptiness develop within her heart. Rumplestiltskin had been so kind and understanding towards her, and yet he was capable of _torturing_ a man who committed a petty crime. To her, these deeds couldn't have been committed by the same man…and yet they were.

Without a doubt, Belle had heard the numerous stories about the fearsome "Dark One," but she refused to judge him. She wanted to have her _own_ opinion, not an opinion formulated by other people.

But, after seeing an incident first hand, her resolve started to waiver.

_He's a good man. I know that he is. I don't need to physically see him to know that he has the capability to do good._

In the short time she knew him, she realized Rumplestiltskin was different from any one she had ever met. It wasn't _just _the fact he wielded extraordinary amounts of Dark Magic, or the fact that he was the almighty "Dark One,"— he treated her like she was _normal_ person. There were no elitist boundaries that separated the two.

In Avonlea, Belle was regarded as "strange" and "unusual" because of the fact she didn't carry herself like a normal princess. The townspeople cared for her very much, but she had few friends. Anna and Snow were her only sources of companionship, and she barely saw the latter.

With Rumplestiltskin, she felt at ease. All his idiosyncrasies, his little quirks, and his jests that made him an interesting person to be around, and she enjoyed his company very much.

Nevertheless, she found her thoughts trailing back to the poor man in the dungeon, and how Rumplestiltskin was mercilessly torturing him.

Belle sought comfort, so she beckoned for Beryl, and heard the soft _patter _of her dog's paws on the floor.

"I don't think Rumple is an evil man. I think he's just misguided. What do you think, Beryl?"

The eager panting of Beryl was the response she received. She rubbed her husky's ears and smiled.

"He has an odd sense of humor, he's very understanding of my blindness, and he's dedicated to helping me see again—I've seen a side that no one has ever seen of him before."

She smiled a little at that, but frowned again. "Evil isn't _born_, it's _made_. He had to be a good man once. I can _see_ the potential in him, it's just he refuses to let it come out. I just wish he could see that too."

Beryl whimpered sadly when she sensed Belle's sadness, almost understanding the internal anguish that Belle was facing.

She winced when she once again heard the tormented scream of the prisoner down below, and she adamantly decided she had to do something about it.

"Beryl, come with me. We're going to have a long talk with Rumplestiltskin."

…...

"He must have had a valid reason for trying to steal the wand—"

"Valid reason or not, _dearie, _he had the audacity to come into _my _home, and steal one of _my _possessions. He should have tried to make a _deal, _just like everyone else. But pretty boy there, he thought he could have the easy way out_._" He snarled angrily, and his blackened nails dug into his palm, threatening to draw blood.

"Not only that, but he almost marred your pretty little face, _dearie. _I can't deliver you back to King Maurice with a big scar on your face, can I?"

Rumplestiltskin found himself more upset at the fact that Belle was almost hurt, _rather_ than the fact the wand was almost stolen. Hell, he wasn't about to admit that to her, because he had trouble admitting that fact to himself.

What irritated him most was that she was _determined_ to fight for this man that almost _**injured**_ her.

_Belle, being stubborn as always._

He glanced at Belle, and could almost see the anger radiating off of her delicate frame.

"I don't think he deserves to go into the dungeon and be tortured! Let him explain himself!" Her voice was edgy, because she was extremely irritated with the tone that Rumplestiltskin was addressing her with.

Rumplestiltskin raised his eyebrows in surprise. He hadn't heard her talk like that to him before. "Clearly, _dearie, _you don't understand the 'politics' involved with this operation."

"What are you talking ab—"

"You see, _dearie,_ if I let him _go, _it'll show I'm weak. He had the _nerve _to try and steal from me?! I can't let him get away with _that_. Fools, _dearie, _deserve to be punished."

Belle was astounded. Was that what he truly believed? She wished at that moment, she could see the look on his face, to see the image associated with the thought.

Meanwhile, Rumplestiltskin looked at Belle and shook his head. She didn't realize that he was repressing his desire to _kill _the bastard for almost hurting her.

A burdened silence filled the room for a moment, but was disturbed by the sound of Rumplestiltskin's accented voice.

"I…I won't kill him, I promise," he said, barely above a whisper. "I…have to make sure he learns his lesson."

"Why can't you let him go?" she said dejectedly. "I can tell you're just trying to uphold your image as the 'Dark One;' you don't really want to punish him, but you feel the _need _to in order to uphold your image. You're a good man, I know it." Belle blurted out her thoughts before she could stop herself, and she gasped when she realized what she said.

A burdened silence once again filled the room.

Rumplestiltskin looked at his hands once again, and for a moment, he wished he could believe in her words.

But instead of skin, he saw the sickly green hide atop his shaking hand.

_I can never be good. I'm a beast now._

"Well clearly, _dearie," _Rumplestiltskin said, with a lingering sadness interwoven in his tone, "I guess you don't know me well at all."

* * *

_**a/n – Can I just say I love how defensive Rumple gets over Belle? It's so cute. I can completely picture him doing this in the series too, and it makes me kinda happy.**_

_**This isn't the longest chapter I've written, but this is one of the most important. So much important thought processes between these two take place and I think it's kinda sad/cute ugh.**_

_**I **__**don't know if anyone has noticed, but Rumple says "dearie" in an italicized (aka snarky) tone when he's upset, or if he's dealing with someone he's unfamiliar with. If it's not italicized (like in the teacup part of the 4th chapter) it's a term of endearment.**_

_**Soo... I can't guarantee when I'll update, but maybe some prompting will help? *nudgenudge***_

_**In all seriousness though, I'll do my best. I don't want to rush. After all, **quality **over quantity! **_

_**PLEASE rate and review! I really do appreciate your feedback :)**_


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